The US visa appointment is just one of the steps of the visa application process. Most of the people who apply for any of the US visas, need to set up an appointment with the Embassy or Consulate.
However, if the applicant falls under one of the following categories, they can obtain an appointment waiver:
- Apply for an A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-4 visa.
- Be under 14 years old or over 79 years old.
- You are applying for a renewal of a BCC, B-1/B-2, C-1/D, F, J, M, or O visa within the same classification.
There are cases when you might be eligible to waive the biometrics collection or the visa interview, but not both. In that case, you must still schedule an appointment for the one which you cannot waive.
How do I get an appointment waiver?
To apply for an appointment waiver, you must either choose the option online or call the VAC where you are applying. The VAC will verify whether you are eligible for a visa interview waiver and they will let you know whether you will still need to schedule an appointment or not.
How to Schedule a US Visa Interview Appointment?
After filling in the DS-160 form first, submitting it along with the supporting documents, the US Embassy Visa Application Center (VAC) will have to process your application. Then you can make an appointment.
You can schedule the appointment online through:
- ustraveldocs.com if you’re applying from Asia, or
- ais.usvisa-info.com if you are applying from anywhere else in the world.
If you fulfull certain conditions, you can schedule an emergency appointment.
What supporting documents should I bring at the appointment?
When you make the appointments, you must have the following documents available in front of you to give the necessary information:
- Your valid passport and your passport number.
- Your visa application fee payment receipt number.
- Your DS-160 confirmation page.
- Your e-mail address.
- Documents based on the type of visa you are applying for.
Completion of a Medical Examination for the US Visa Appointment
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services wants every applicant to complete a medical appointment with an authorized physician in the country where they will attend their interview. By “authorized physician” we mean a doctor who is approved by the US embassy in your country.
The medical examination includes a review of your:
- medical history,
- physical examination (which includes at least eyes, ears, nose and throat, extremities, heart, lungs, abdomen, lymph nodes, skin, and external genitalia),
- chest X-ray,
- blood tests.
Supporting documents to bring at the doctor's appointment
When you go to meet the doctor, you need to have with you the following documents:
- Your visa interview letter
- Your passport
- Passport-sized color photographs (the number varies from 2 to 4 depending on the embassy)
- A copy of your immunization records
After the exam
After the checkup takes place, the authorized physician will either hand to the applicant the medical examination results in a sealed envelope (Do not open it!) to submit them on the day of the visa interview alongside with the other documents, or will send the results directly to the US Embassy or Consulate.
Attending the US Visa Interview Appointment
Before attending the interview take care to prepare in advance so when you go to the embassy you do not feel lost. You will be interviewed by a consular officer, as part of which process you will have your fingerprints scanned. Do not bring any foods, laptops, backpacks or big bags with you at the embassy. Take as fewer things with you as possible. Wear something comfortable but a little bit official.
Step 1: Arrive at the embassy or consulate
The first thing that you need to keep in mind is that you must be on time for your interview. It is true that many times you may have to wait in a queue in order to attend the interview, thus meeting the consular officer an hour or later than appointed. However, do not risk to be there late, even if someone tells you there’s a queue at the embassy. Be there at least 10 minutes earlier just in case.
Step 2: Fingerprint verification
At the entrance of the embassy, you will go through a security detector, which in most of the cases includes a full-body metal detector scan. After that, you will be given a token for your interview and then you will have to give your fingerprints. An officer will scan your fingerprints, and give you further directions.
Step 3: Enter the interview
After fingerprinting, you will have to wait in a lounge area, where you must wait quietly for your turn. You will hear your name when it is your turn. Have your documents arranged earlier, so you will not have a mess on your hands when you meet the interviewer.
The questions the officers will ask you, depend on the type of US visa that you have applied for. Here you can find the questions that the interviewer may ask you during your interview:
How to Reschedule a US Visa Appointment?
To reschedule a US nonimmigrant visa appointment, you can either call the VAC or change the date and time online. This will push the appointments to the next available timeslot that works for you. You must provide a valid reason as to why you are rescheduling so that the US Embassy takes it into account.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I Am Late for my Interview?
In case you are late just a couple of minutes, and there’s no queue then your interview will be dismissed. You will have to appoint another and wait for your interview if such thing happens.
What Happens if I Don't Show Up For My Interview?
If you do not show up at the embassy for your scheduled interview, you must contact the embassy or consulate as soon as possible and inform them about the causes that have made it impossible to attend the interview. You must act this way, otherwise, your case might be terminated and fees that have already been paid will not get refunded.
What if I Need to Change my Address on my US Visa Appointment?
If you need to change your address after scheduling your US visa appointment, you need to log in to one of the online services you used to schedule your visa appointment and find a button that may state “update my profile”— depending on which online service you used. Then, you have to select the reason for your update, e.g., “changing mailing address,” and put down your new address. You have time to change your address until 11:59 p.m. on the day of your interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Can I Cancel my Appointment?
It is highly unlikely that after going through the hassle of applying for a US visa and getting the supporting documents, you will have to cancel an appointment. However, circumstances change and you might not want to get a US visa anymore.
To cancel the US visa appointments, you can call the VAC and let them know that you are canceling and that you will not need a US visa anymore. For US immigrant visas, you should call the NVC and inform them that you are not interested in obtaining a US visa.
This is not recommended at all as you will have spent a lot of effort in applying for the visa and therefore should try to see whether you will get it or not.
What is a Biometrics Appointment?
The biometrics appointment must be scheduled so that the applicants give their biometric information. This includes a US Visa photograph and fingerprints. The United States requires applicants to give their biometric information to increase the security of their borders and check who is entering the country.
There are some countries or specific applicants who might not need to schedule their fingerprint appointment, but you must check with the US Embassy and ask whether you have to complete this part of the visa application process.